Ditch-digger.



EDWIN B. MILLER, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA. Y

BITCH-BIGGER.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

Application led .Tune 4, 1918. Serial No. 238,072.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN Bl MiLLnR, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Ditch-Diggers; and I do declare' the following to be a clear, full, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements for digging and cleaning drainage and irrigating ditches, particularly in delta lands where the ground is of a soft peat like for mation which is readily cut out in a layerli ke manner.

I aim to provide a cutter which will cut both the side walls and the bottom of the ditch with an inclined plane or slide following the cutter to pick up the layers of material cut out thereby and deliver the same at the top of the ditch where it will be turned into a furrow at the side of the ditch.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose of which it is designed.

These objects, I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of the parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

On the drawings, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts iu the several views.

Figure l is a side elevation of my coniplete device as it appears when in operation.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the cutter taken on a line X--X of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 2, but showing a modified form of cutter.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the inclined plane.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral l designates the vertical extending cutting blades which are spaced apart a distance equal to the width of the ditch to be cut. These incline slightly from their bottoms to their tops in the direction in which the cutter is moving, either one being connected at its bottom edge to a cross cutting blade 2 extending between the blades 1, the cutting edge thereof being diagonally placed thereon. Y

The numeral 3 designates a sled or other supporting member adapted to be connected by bolts twith the side cutters l at any desired point according to the depth of ditch to be cut, this being arranged by means of bolt holes 5 arranged successively along the length of the members l.

Draft power is applied to the sled 3 by means of a chain or other connecting means '6 which connects with any tractor, horses,

or other power means. An inclined plane 7 of desired inclination and construction is linked to the rear end of the bottom blade 2 by links 8. This inclined plane is supported on a bottom runner 9 by means of vertical supports l0, the member 9 being arranged to slide along the bottom of the ditch.

In practice, as the cutters 1--2 are pulled through the earth, they cut a rectangular slice of the earth equal to the desired size of the ditch. The inclined plane 7 following immediately behind the cutters, forces the slice gradually to the surface of the ground where it is turned over adjacent the edge of the top by means of a projecting mold board 11 arranged at one side of the upper end of such inclined plane 7.

It will thus be seen that the cutting of the ditch and the delivery of the dirt cut out of the top of the ditch is done in one continuous operation without the necessity of manually cleaning the cut material from the ditch.

In Fig. 2, I have shown the blade 2 as being a straight edged continuous blade.

In Fig. 3, I show a modified view wherein the blades 2a are separated, one being connected to each of the blades 1a and the same being inclined from their front to their rear to form a V-shaped cutter. This may be found to be advantageous to prevent binding of the blades or undue wear and strain on the bottom cutter.

The diagonal construction of the blade 2 has been found to be especially advantageous in cutting heavy soil which is usually root-bound, some of these roots being very tough. A straight thrust on a cutting edge results in these roots piling up without being cut through, thus impeding progress and finally clogging the device, while a sliding motion delivered by a diagonally placed blade either cuts said roots or thrusts them to one side out of the Way.

From the foregoing description it Will readily be seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice, such deviations from such detail may be resorted to do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as neT and useful and desire to see eure by Letters Patent is A ditch digger comprising a draft sledV adapted to run on the surface of the ground,

:i Copies of this patent may be obtained for In testimony whereof I affix my signature 30 in presence 'of tWo Witnesses.

EDWIN B. MILLER.

Witnesses VERADINE WARNER, BERNARD PRIVAT.

iive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

